Joanne Robertson, General Manager of the Coyaba Beach Resort, was named “Hotelier of the Year” by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) at the organization’s 45th Annual General Meeting.
It’s been 11 years since Joanne and Kevin Roberston decided to give up their high-paying jobs and put their posh apartment on 80th street and Broadway on the market.

Joanne was an advertising executive on Madison Avenue and Kevin had a promising career in finance on Wall Street. Although they had bright careers and enjoyed city life, they both had dreams of raising a family in complete tranquility. Since Joanne was born and raised in Jamaica, she had always hoped to return to the island she loves.

Today, the Coyaba Beach Resort & Club is one of Jamaica’s premier private 50-room hotels, located just five minutes from the Montego Bay Airport at water’s edge. Coyaba, a four-star diamond resort offers visitors a glimpse of paradise - full peace, quiet and seclusion; a crystalline, turquoise bay; whispering palm trees, pure white sands, spectacular sunsets and caressing breezes.

Soothing doses of nature are just part of Coyaba’s foolproof recipe for
rejuvenation. This gem of the Caribbean provides all the home-spun charm, privacy and intimacy of a bed-and-breakfast by eliminating long and tiresome treks to the airport and infusing beautifully decorated Plantation-style rooms with touches that are the very essence of convenience and ease. Whether it’s an in-room massage or an underwater vista, joyful respite is right at hand. Coyaba offers beach-front
accommodations, as well as “garden view” rooms that are only seconds from the beach, with its picturesque jetty and boardwalk.

Joanne, 41, and Kevin Robertson, 42, along with their children Ericka, 11, James, 9, and Kaitlin, 7, live on the property and are perfectly attuned to the needs of individuals, couples and families. Variously-sized rooms are available to suit any family composition and the Robertsons cater to a vast array of interests. For the activity-minded, they offer snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, pedalboating, tennis, horseback riding at a nearby stable, golf (four championship courses are located within 10 minutes of the hotel), a swimming pool, Jacuzzi and a well-equipped fitness room. In addition, the proximity to Montego Bay affords easy access to historical sites, such as the plantation homes as well as to a wide variety of
shops, restaurants and bars.

The personal touch extends to the hotel’s restaurants presided over by
award-winning Executive Chef, Oliver Oertel. Chef Oertel, voted Jamaica’s “Chef of the Year” and “Greatest Achiever,” comes to Jamaica via Germany, Canada and Australia. Whether one is indulging in room service, the daily afternoon tea, or a meal in one of the hotel’s three restaurants, the culinary offerings are artistic and delectable, fusing Caribbean flavors with both European and North American traditions.

Rest, relaxation, fun and adventure are a top priority at Coyaba. There are board games, a sizeable on-site movie library (including plenty of kid titles selected by the Robertson clan) as well as pampering body treatments ranging from Stress-Busting Massages to European Facials offered in both indoor and outdoor spa sites. Organized tours and excursions (sailboat and fishing charters, sail cruises, glass bottom boat tours, snorkeling and diving expeditions) are also available through the Tour Desk.

The hotel’s scenic surroundings and relaxed atmosphere combined with its sumptuous cuisine guarantee that a visit to Coyaba is an adventure that is at once charming and luxurious, stimulating and comforting. One of the great Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Coyaba offers a restorative vacation experience with lasting impact.
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